News Flash: DigiCAP & NOC Release iSpots Project

Lamar Graphics and the LDD NOC are releasing some dynamically driven Digital Display designs called iSpots. iSpots are intelligent LDD spots that automatically update based on special programming and/or an external data source (i.e. a trusted RSS feed, special text files, and weather info.) 

The primary purpose of any iSpot is to help improve our flexibility and extend to our customers the ability to ‘change the message’ even more quickly and efficiently than we do today.  Some of the examples we've experimented with are: Now Playing song titles for Radio Stations, election results, Golf Scores, Time & Temp among others.

iSpots are meant to showcase the dynamic capabilities of this highly agile new medium. Our first test batch of iSpots, referred to below, only scratch the surface of the possibilities. Initially, we think these would make a great replacement for any self-promo’s you may be running.

Each market must register with the NOC before any Weather or Trivia iSpots are scheduled. Please note that this service is not expensive but it is not free. We will be picking up all the charges here at Corporate.  We only ask that you register when you are ready to start using the ispots.  Doing so will give your displays access to the data it needs to automatically update. This will help insure that only necessary subscriptions are activated during this first run. You can register your market and download the actual iSpots here.

Please let us know if you have problems.  We look forward to your thoughts and ideas as well so that we can expand services appropriately.

Thank you,

The DigiCAP and LDD NOC Staff

More Details...

This beta release will include 7 different iSpot designs that are auto-scale compliant for both bulletin and poster size displays. Examples of these iSpots can be viewed and downloaded here. The initial offering of iSpot designs will include:

Weather: 5 Day Forecast. This spot will be dynamically driven by each display’s location. These iSpots are built to read the zip code stored on each display’s computer and pull a weather forecast based on each individual display’s location.

Weather: 48 Hour Forecast. This spot is also dynamically driven by location. It will show the current weather, that evening’s weather, and the projected weather for the next day.

Weather: Time & Temp. Also location driven temperature and current local time.

Born on this Day: This iSpot will randomly display one of three different celebrity or historical figure’s birthday based on the current day’s date.

This Day in History: This design randomly displays one of three note worthy events in history or pop culture that happened on the current day’s date. There are up to three such events for the entire calendar year.

Thought of the Day: This randomly displays a “Thought of the Day” from a Lamar generated list of cultural proverbs and thought provoking sayings from around the world. It will randomly select one of over 60 thoughts in the data base and display it for one calendar day.

Roadside Trivia: This iSpot will randomly display up to five different trivia questions and answers per day. Topics for these trivia questions range from sports and pop culture to history and science.